


Unspoken

by ancient_moonshine (paperfeathers)



Series: water in the dust [1]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Character Study, Emperor Hux, Imperialism, Politics, Senator Kylo Ren, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-20
Updated: 2016-12-20
Packaged: 2018-09-10 16:49:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8924707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paperfeathers/pseuds/ancient_moonshine
Summary: An argument between the Emperor and his least favorite senator ends in an unexpected way. At least, for Hux.





	

The Senator of Tatooine is a quiet man. Unsettling, with his dark eyes that never miss anything. Hux knows he makes all the other senators nervous, which is why they tolerate his slouched posture, roughspun clothes  and taciturn answers. At first he’d haunted the periphery of the Emperor’s court like a shadow, but after several political maneuvers that Hux had been completely blindsided by, he had risen to dangerous prominence. Frankly, Hux longs to be rid of him, to replace him with some puppet he can leave to rot in that burning dustball and comfortably forget about. By all intents and purposes, Ren shouldn’t even be here: the representative of a planet with next to no resources ever since slavery was banned, a veritable cesspool of crime if the reports were true. But Hux didn’t get to become Emperor by ignoring his instincts, and neither could he afford to overlook Ren when his military successes had led to him gaining control over most of the formerly Hutt-dominated sections of the Outer Rim.

Kylo Ren is dangerous.

 All the better for him to be where the Emperor can keep an eye on him, then.

They’re at a summit for economic policy. Some Mid-Rim delegates are attempting to pass legislation that would open up the Outer Rim to trade and Ren’s been fighting them at every turn. From his throne, Hux watches, weighing options carefully, his features an impassive mask. More often than not, Ren glances at him. Not beseeching, nowhere close. But his dark eyes are narrowed and Hux feels his gut tighten at the audacity, at the sheer gall. The _defiance_ that marked Ren apart from the other sycophants that surrounded Hux and singled him out as a threat. Whenever Ren looks at him like that, Hux can feel his palm itching for a blaster, pure instinct telling him to eliminate the biggest danger in the room.

The delegate dispenses with the interpellation, and Hux tears his gaze away from Ren, asks several questions. They’re not entirely necessary; he’s already made up his mind. Finally, he nods at Phasma, the Captain of his guard, and rises, signalling the end of the session. The senators take it as their cue to leave, escorted outside the session hall by Phasma’s troops. All except one.

Phasma sends Hux a sharp glance when he dismisses her and his five other guards, but Hux waves her away. Ren wouldn’t be fool enough to attack him, not when the economy of his territory hinges on Hux’s decision. Although Hux’s hackles instinctively rise when Ren steps forward, too close, the bulk of him invading Hux’s personal space. It’s an almost childish assertion of dominance and Hux restrains the urge to roll his eyes. His lip curls, instead. 

“You can’t approve that bill.” Ren says. His deep voice rasps, just a little. Hux hadn’t seen him take a drink of water the entire time. “You stand to stifle our sector’s manufacturing industries if you do.”

“The way I see it, opening your markets to products you have neither the technology nor the resources to produce would only benefit you and your economy.” Hux says smoothly. “Didn’t one of the first concessions you requested increase trade between the Free Territories and Arkanis?”

“This isn’t like the water import law.” Ren snaps. “Tatooine has no water sources, but we’ve been able to develop manufacturing. We’re not going to survive by exporting silica while the richer sectors dump their unwanted shit on us.”

“Let me remind you that you _wanted_ to become part of the Second Empire.” Hux snaps. His blood surging as Ren’s “Belonging entails _sacrifice,_ Senator Ren. I will not stand for your reaping the benefits while skirting your duties-“

“ _I am not putting your fucking Empire over the welfare of my people!”_

It’s loud and ringing and echoes throughout the audience chamber. Hux freezes. Every cell in his body burning hot and cold. Ren’s face is flushed, furious. He must know what he said would lead him to the execution block but he doesn’t move away. Just stares Hux down, unblinking. Still standing too close. Unafraid.

“Careful, Ren.” Hux says, dangerously soft. He can feel the heat radiating off of Ren, as well as that strange desert scent – sweat and something faintly floral, with a hint of something metallic that could be blood or the smell of rain. Ren smirks.

“I don’t have to be.” Ren’s eyes are very dark and there’s no panic there, no fear, no desperate apology for speaking out of turn. His breath is very warm as he leans forward, but his hands are even warmer when they cup Hux’s face.  

Hux sucks in a breath, shocked. Ren’s expression doesn’t change, except far back, a light in his eyes.

“You’re not going to have me executed,” Ren says. “You’re not going to sign that bill, either.” A simple statement of fact punctuated by Ren’s large hand, slipping beneath the collar of Hux’s robes and splaying over his pulse. A gentle taunt, for how hard Hux’s heart is pounding, but he doesn’t call for Phasma, doesn’t move to have Ren arrested like he _knows_ he ought.

 “You know what the difference between us is, my Emperor?”  Ren strokes slow circles over Hux’s pulse. A light caress against the skin, butterfly-soft if not for the fact that it’s been years since Hux was touched in any way, at all. Hux inhales a trembling breath, some distant part of him cursing himself for whatever instinctive reaction this is as Ren continues touching him. Fingers stroking down the column of his neck, tracing his jaw, the shell of his ear. Hux opens his mouth, but all that comes out is an unsteady sigh of longing mingled with shame.  

(He’s gentle, so gentle. Hux has never been touched gently at all in his life, not until now.)

“We’ve both sworn ourselves to something greater than us.” Ren says, his tone light, the backs of his knuckles skimming experimentally over the planes of Hux’s cheeks. Hux can stop him. Hux _should_ stop him. He doesn’t.

(Can’t.)

“However, unlike you, I’ve pledged myself to my people. You and your men, on the other hand, dedicated yourself to an ideal. An ideal no one else believes in more fervently than you.” Ren looks inexplicably sad, but only for a moment. His palms are calloused and warm. So warm as they cradle Hux’s jaw.

“You can’t afford me as an enemy, Hux.” Ren says, his voice almost gentle. “Not when I’m the only one loyal to _you.”_ Ren lets him go, and the sudden loss leaves Hux reeling. Trembling. Clutching at the collar of his robes as Ren walks away, not once looking back.


End file.
